Getting DLA for depression

Jo_R_2

Hi all

I've been off work the last three weeks or so due to depression, and I'm wondering if it would be worth a go applying for DLA.

I have a past history of depression from my teenage years, not a constant condition but more 'on and off', although from March this year to now I have visited the doctor a number of times regarding this condition. Recently my doctor prescribed me Prozac (which I haven't taken yet), and will be referring me to see a CPN, and I am also going to request to see a psychiatrist regarding some more appropriate meds, which my doctor is supportive of.

I know from my work that DLA forms are horrendous to fill in, but really the reason I have been thinking about possibly applying is because I have had to depend a lot on others (mainly my parents) to help me with everyday tasks and looking after my children, and DLA being to assist with help you may need seemed appropriate in these circumstances.

I suppose the worst that can happen is I apply and they refuse... Has anyone else got DLA for depression, and what sorts of things are good to put? There was a good link I found - I think it was ont he MIND site - are there any others that maybe useful when completing the form for depression?

Thanks!

dmg24

You really need to contact a welfare advisor for help with the DLA forms, alternatively your CPN will be able to assist you.

Your question as to 'what sort of things are good to put?' could be misconstrued. The simple answer to this is the truth. Prior to filling in the forms, it is worth keeping a diary, to provide you with relevant information.

You say that you would like to see a psychiatrist regarding your medication. In my experience of CPN's (which has been in both a personal and professional capacity), they will not refer you on without you having at least tried the meds prescribed to you by your GP. Is there a reason why you have not tried the Prozac?

cattie

The important thing is to have as much medical evidence as you possibly can & also to get help with filling in the forms from an experienced welfare rights specialist.

If Mind have such an advocate available then that is the best route to take, but in my area Mind can only help with appeals & not the actual application for dla. If you can't get help from Mind, then as long as you seek help from someone who is familiar with filling out forms for dla then you should be ok.

Gillianh2

Also before applying for DLA you have to have had the current condition for the preceeding 6months and it must be expected to last for the at least the next 6months. That might be worth bearing in mind before you start to complete the forms.

Jo_R_2

dmg24 wrote: »

You really need to contact a welfare advisor for help with the DLA forms, alternatively your CPN will be able to assist you.

Your question as to 'what sort of things are good to put?' could be misconstrued. The simple answer to this is the truth. Prior to filling in the forms, it is worth keeping a diary, to provide you with relevant information.

You say that you would like to see a psychiatrist regarding your medication. In my experience of CPN's (which has been in both a personal and professional capacity), they will not refer you on without you having at least tried the meds prescribed to you by your GP. Is there a reason why you have not tried the Prozac?

I am trained in completing DLA forms for the clients that I work with; however the area I work in is learning disability so although I do have knowledge of how to structure answers to give the best description of how a condition can affect someone, not having completed one concerning depression, I find this harder to visualise. Although I know how my depression affects me on a day-to-day basis, it's translating that onto the form that feels like it could be more difficult than the conditions I have previously filled in DLA forms for before.

The 'what sorts of things are good to put?' was quite generic wasn't it? I didn't mean it as in grabbing random examples, more needing aspects of my day-to-day life that I may not have thought of writing about on the form but am affected in - if that makes sense?

I haven't tried the Prozac because I am breastfeeding my youngest daughter. When prescribed this, I agreed with my GP that I would stop breastfeeding as he will not prescribe anti d's to nursing mothers. However, DD2 still wants to nurse and I wish to continue so in essence although I am interested in taking anti d's, I cannot get them through my GP whilst I am nursing. Thus speaking with GP about referral to a psychiatrist.

Morglin

If you are working, then I think you will have problems convincing the DLA Unit that you are in need of DLA for your depression.

It's increasingly difficult to get for mental health problems and you would need a wealth of medical back up.

To be honest, I think a "happy mum" should take priority over breastfeeding for a while - and perhaps you should consider taking medication to help you, and putting babe onto a bottle.

Lin

Jo_R_2

Morglin wrote: »

If you are working, then I think you will have problems convincing the DLA Unit that you are in need of DLA for your depression.

It's increasingly difficult to get for mental health problems and you would need a wealth of medical back up.

To be honest, I think a "happy mum" should take priority over breastfeeding for a while - and perhaps you should consider taking medication to help you, and putting babe onto a bottle.

Lin

Ah, the working-and-claiming thing was something I was wondering about. I've worked with clients who have been in receipt of DLA and started work, or who have been working, but that's a different area (learning disability) and I haven't come across any info about how working affects a claim so that's interesting to know.

I should probably say that DD2 is going on 16 months so she's not a babe anymore (where does the time go!) She does bf and it makes me happy to know she can have that when she wants - I believe I would feel worse knowing I didn't allow her to self-wean which is something I very strongly believe in. I fed DD1 as a baby through postnatal illness which I again strongly felt was the best thing, obviously for her and for me because I knew it was one thing I could do despite feeling rubbish in pretty much every other aspect of my life. When I had postnatal illness I researched anti d's in depth and feel I would be making an informed decision to take anti d's and continue bf - but obviously I don't want to do this without the support of my GP, thus the request for a referral to a psychiatrist.

Thankyou for all the replies, I appreciate people taking the time to give me their thoughts.

stargirl73

Hi Jo

I receive DLA for depression - it was a heck of a long struggle to get it and I know that when you're feeling low, fighting back is the last thing you want to do. It's much easier to give up.

I was in a pretty terrible state though and the thing that appears to have "swung it" for me was the level of care I needed, day and night, to ensure I was safe from myself. My husband had had to give up work as my depression was getting worse and worse and there were days and nights when he couldn't allow me to be on my own for even a few minutes for fear of me trying to kill myself.

(On a complete aside - the psychiatric services should have stepped in to help weeks and months before they did, but it wasn't through lack of trying on my husband's behalf. When they eventually did decide I needed help, they sectioned me and locked me up for 7months - something that would have been quite unnecessary if they had got their finger out earlier.)

Anyway - I digress! My claim had to go to review and then an appeal, but I had a social worker at the time who totally supported my application and used really quite strong terms. I found that a bit too personal to be honest - I didn't want the benefit people knowing my deepest darkest problems, but it seemed that that was what they needed to approve my claim.

I eventually got higher rate care and lower mobility. I do feel quite a lot better on the whole compared to the state I was in all those years ago and I know that when my current claim runs out in a couple of months, I'll be very lucky to get anything at all because I require much less support than I did then.

As I'm sure you know - specific examples of the support you need and how often you need it, are the most valuable sources of information. If you fill in the form as though it was your worst ever day, that's probably the level of "distress" that they are looking for.

It is awful - and it makes you feel as though they don't believe just how awful it is for you. And if you're anything like me, you try to minimise your problems and just get on with it - which is also how the DLA folks made me feel at the time. But the nature of the beast that is depression, means that your self esteem is low and such knocks make it hard to keep on keeping on.

I suppose they have to have rules, otherwise everyone who ever felt a bit fed up would apply for benefit! But if you have a genuine case - try to keep on fighting. And try to get a statement of support from someone who knows how the depression affects you - in my personal experience, a CPN's point of view will be more accurate than a psychiatrist's, just because they'll spend more time with you, getting to know how your depression affects you.

This link may or maynot help you http://www.bhas.org.uk/dla/dla_mental_test.shtml
http://www.benefitsinmind.org.uk/claiming_dla_and_aa_1.htm
http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/pws/Advice+Benefits+and+Emergencies+-+Welfare+Rights+-+Factsheets+-+Completing+a+DLA+Form

And I would like to add, on a personal note, that you can get better from depression. I have been seriously ill with it since 2000 and I have been completely floored with it. I thought I would never get better, and as I mentioned above, I tried to take my life more than once as I felt I just couldn't carry on in the state I was in. I 100% believed that there was no hope for me. I'd tried dozens of different medications and nothing seemed to make much difference. As a pharmacist myself, I thought I knew all there was to know about treatments for depression, which was even more crippling as I "knew" there was no hope left when I'd exhausted all conventional treatments.

Eventually I was sent to the affective disorders unit at Newcastle University and it has taken a lot of time and messing about with combinations of medications but eventually, we got the right combo and for about the past 12months I have started to feel considerably better. My life has been changed beyond all recognition and I am starting to see the tunnel at last! And I know there is a light at the end of it.

So don't give up hope - I did and it's the worst thing you can do. Natural and understandable maybe - but definitely not good.

As far as treating depression whilst you're breastfeeding, there are drugs that are safer than fluoxetine and hopefully any decent psychiatrist will give you those choices. I obviously don't know the cause of your depression, but possibly given your circumstances a talking therapy may be preferable? Unfortunately, waiting lists are long and medication is quick to prescribe, but if you felt strongly about it you should push for that.

I'm sorry - I have totally gone off topic! If you want to private mail me - I'm happy to chat and offer any advice I may have.

Hope you get the outcome you deserve.

Gale_10

hello,

I cant help you much with the dla, but I have/am breastfeeding 2 babies whilst taking lofepromine. Its an anti-d that is ok to use.

Gale

Jo_R_2

Hi Gale

Thanks for the reply. I took lofepramine whist bf my first, and found it worked well with minimal side effects. However I think my doctor thinks an SSRI would be better, thus the Prozac. Would be a lot easier if my doc would prescribe whilst I am bf (the lofepramine was from my last GP) but I know it's something that medical professionals obviously have their own opinions on.

Yogibear

I am on lower rate mobility and lower rate care for depression,I got the form a few months ago to get it renewed I took it to my local Welfare rights office he took about an hour to fill it in as my condition has got worse since I filled in the form 3 years ago he said I may qualify for a higher rate,I got an answer back this morning I`m still on the lowest rate for both" we have looked at the form and your medication" it says I can appeal but don`t know where to turn